How Yoga Changed me from the Inside Out

Moment of truth: I started practicing yoga regularly in 2018 for the physical benefits. After gaining 60+ pounds during both of my pregnancies, I had a list of nagging ailments.

I lacked flexibility, particularly in my back. The arches in my feet had fallen from carrying all that extra weight. My feet hurt so much on a daily basis that I could no longer wear flats. I had carpal tunnel in both hands wrists. My joints, especially my knees, ached.

My right elbow was sputtering quickly towards tendinitis. I carry stress and tension in my shoulders so my neck was a mess child. And although I was doing cardio and strength training 5 – 6 days a week, at 37 I felt like my body was completely falling apart. I wanted to gain flexibility but also relieve myself from the day to day physical struggles I was having.

I wanted to heal my body naturally. Without seeing a physical therapist, getting on a bunch of pain meds or worse – wearing orthopedic shoes for the rest of my life (clutches pearls). From dabbling in yoga over the years I knew that it could at least help me get on the right path.

So I made a commitment to try it for 30 days to see if it gave me any relief. I’m an a huge advocate of at home workouts so I headed straight to YouTube in search of yoga practices. It was there I found Yoga with Adriene. I selected a video and the first thing I noticed was how relatable she was. She was clearly super knowledgeable but also able to break everything down so newbies could not only understand but felt comfortable. She was a breath of fresh air.

She had a 30-Days of Yoga series, (perfect for someone committed to trying yoga for 30 days!). After that first video I knew this was exactly what I needed to start practicing yoga. I was going to get the physical healing I was looking for and I had met (well, virtually met) my yoga teacher.

I had no idea of what I had stumbled on (more like what God had led me to). As I completed each day I was not only receiving the physical benefits. I left the mat feeling lighter and more at peace. More aligned and in-tune with God and myself. I was baffled. So as an expert researcher (i.e. I’m really good at Googling), I started to look into what I was experiencing.

What I found was that yoga isn’t just about stretching and headstands. It’s about finding a deeper connection between mind, body and spirit that helps you live life better off the mat.

So there it was. I wasn’t crazy. I was feeling all sorts of stress relief, inner peace and patience while really challenging my body in a way that cardio and strength training don’t. My body started to heal physically. The pain in my feet subsided. My wrists were getting stronger. Elbow felt brand new. My neck and shoulders weren’t in agony by the end of each day.

But I found something way more valuable. I was healing from the inside out. My mental state was more chill. I had peace that I don’t think I’ve had since becoming a mother in 2002. Yoga was teaching me that being fit was about the whole body. Not just building muscle or being lean. All of that is great but what I was learning from yoga was truly being healthy includes your mind and spirit as well.

The peace of mind started to follow me throughout my day. It transferred off of the mat. I could come into a yoga practice completely stressed and after shift into peacefulness. The more I practiced, the less those completely stressed out days happened. I was in control of my emotions not the other way around. Something that I’ve always struggled with (shoutout to my fellow Scorpios who know all too well what I’m talking about).

My thoughts were more peaceful. And when they weren’t I was able to easily reign them in. Change your thoughts, change your life, right? That is truly what yoga was about. A spiritual awakening. That life was meant to be lived intentionally. And to do that you had to be present. Living each moment with a heart of gratitude to the Divine and grace towards yourself and others.

My physical pain went away. I’m building muscle, getting stronger and more flexible everyday. I can hit a few dope poses. More importantly though, I’m discovering a better me. Makes for a much more peaceful journey here on this earth.

Namaste.